


Spark Spirit

by fizzysugarwrites



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Gen, Jay gets fuckin zapped lmao, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, basically Jay gets turned into an electrical spirit, but not in the sense that it requires a warning, i really dunno how to tag this one huh, mostly once Cole finds out that Jay didn’t die, or maybe it’s just too late at night for brain to be on, the first chapter is kinda intense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:14:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26506513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fizzysugarwrites/pseuds/fizzysugarwrites
Summary: After a horrid incident involving a mad doctor and about way too many bolts of electricity being driven through his body, Jay becomes something of an electrical spirit, only able to communicate through possessed electronics. What now?
Relationships: Cole/Jay Walker
Comments: 8
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

Jay had run ahead, and that was his first mistake.

It’s not like he had intended to pull ahead of his friends so quickly, it was more a side-effect of being the Lightning Ninja. He was lightning fast.

So now he was here, the first to enter this freakish laboratory chamber, with his friends and backup so very far behind him. And this freakish mad scientist in front of him. With his freakish dangerous inventions behind him.

Freakish.

“Well well well well well, if it isn’t the little Master of Lightning!” The scientist - whom had self-identified as “Technomancer” - crowed. “All by himself, even! That’s something you never see!”

Jay grimaced -  _ sheesh. What’s this guy’s problem?  _ \- but squared up anyway. Doesn’t matter what his problem is, he’s going down.

“Look man, I don’t know what you’re on about, but in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not alone?”

A clamor of voices grew louder from the hall behind him, almost on cue. Jay’s grimace turned into a quiet grin at that. Man if he didn’t love these guys. “Just a little ahead!” He added confidently.

The mad scientist chuckled devilishly. “Oh, are you so sure, little lightning boy?” It occurred to Jay only now that the man had his hand planted on a large lever. He pulled it down before Jay could make another move, and Jay’s head whipped around as a massive metal door slammed down across the entrance to the lab. Jay’s stomach sank through the floor.  _ Okay that’s bad. That’s really bad. _

There was a loud bang on the door, and then several voices crackled through the comm device in Jay’s ear.

“Jay!”

“We can’t get through!”

“Can you see him?”

“Hold on Jay! We’re comin!”

“I don’t know if I can lift this!”

That last voice was undeniably Cole’s, and it was dripping in worry and fear. Through a tiny porthole window in the steel door, Jay could make out the Earth Ninja’s terrified expression. Jay’s heart sank a bit at that, but not low enough to join his stomach as he turned back to the cackling mad doctor, putting a fierce scowl on his face.

“Alright! Fine! One v one!” He barked in a voice that he hoped sounded as confident as he wanted it to. He reached up and pressed the comm mic. “I’m okay! I think I can handle this!”

Again, Cole’s clearly frightened voice came in. “Are you nuts?! He nearly killed you last time and we were  _ all  _ there!”

Jay gritted his teeth. He didn’t answer.  _ This guy really has me in a corner here. This is really bad. _

The mad doctor’s grin was sinister. “Poor little lightning boy, all by himself. Seems like you’re really out of your element!”

Electricity crackled in the air at that backhanded comment and Jay spun his nunchucks in a flourish. “Oh I’m plenty in my element, Doc!!” 

Without another quip, he leapt at the mad scientist, who ducked to the side. Jay’s nunchucks landed instead on some kind of plasma ball, breaking it wide open. The new release of energy streamed up Jay’s arm and he staggered back. He felt absolutely  _ wired _ and in kind of a bad way. 

He looked around for the doctor but he wasn’t where he was before, instead another plasma ball was chucked at him from behind, which he went to deflect with his other arm. That plasma ball shattered too, and now both of Jay’s arms were spasming. He couldn’t move them. His stomach sank lower.

_ Shit shit shit I can’t do anything now what am I- _

What felt like a metal bat slammed into Jay’s chest, knocking him backwards into the center of the room as cackling filled his ears, drowning out even the frantic voices of his teammates on the comms who were watching all this happen as they struggled to get the door open. Jay felt his panic mounting, and he staggered back onto his feet, arms feeling like they were all pins-and-needles. He tried to take a step towards the door again, and his eyes locked with Cole’s through the little porthole window. He knew he looked scared, scared out of his mind. He opened his mouth to try to say something.

Then something else slammed into Jay’s back, latched on, and drove an impossible amount of electricity through his whole body. It practically lifted the ninja off the ground. The overwhelming energy, the spasming, the  _ pain _ , it all ripped a scream from Jay’s throat as the world flashed white and black and blue. The last thing he saw through the sparks and the tears in his eyes was Cole’s horrified face twisted into a cry, and then everything went white and then-

——

Jay awoke in a dark, cramped place. Too small. He couldn’t hear anything, and he could barely see. It all felt like fuzzy camera footage. He tried to turn his head, but his vision didn’t change.

But he could see them. They all burst in, his friends, his  _ family _ , into the room where he’s just been standing. The doctor was gone, and Jay realized with a start that  _ he  _ was gone too. Where he once stood, the only parts of him that remained were his nunchucks and his earpiece.

Cole looked devastated, and he yelled something with rage and pain that Jay could almost hear,  _ but he can’t hear. There’s no microphone. _

_ Microphone? _

Jay watched Cole sink to his knees, and he said something, and he was crying, and Jay felt his heart sink to join his stomach.  _ Why am I not there? He needs me. He needs me to be alright and I AM alright but he doesn’t know that. I need to tell him. _

Jay opened his mouth and tried to cry out  _ hey! Cole! I’m okay! It’s gonna be okay! _

But nothing came out. He couldn’t be heard, no matter how loudly he cried.  _ This thing doesn’t have a speaker either. _

Cole yelled something at Nya now, who had approached him trying to say something. Cole looked angrily at her for a moment, but it all died in a second and he hung his head, and Nya pulled him into a fierce hug. She said something, something like  _ we need to go _ , and Cole nodded, almost numbly. Even through the grainy vision Jay could see his face and he just looked destroyed.

_ Wait _ Jay tried to say again.  _ Wait WAIT you can’t go! I’m still here! GUYS WAIT I’M STILL HERE _

But no one could hear him. No one could hear his frantic pleas as they walked out of the building without their blue ninja.  _ There is still no speaker. _

_ WELL WHY DON’T WE FIND ONE, GENIUS? _

_ With pleasure. _

And then suddenly Jay was aware.

Aware of every connection, every little link between here and there, through every piece of tech in this master-damned laboratory, and even through to five wireless earpieces worn by his family. The latter was slowly slipping out of range. Jay panicked and reached out to the connection like he could grab it, and he did.

A flash, a spark, a jump, and-

——

Jay woke up again in an even  _ more  _ cramped and dark space. His sight was gone, but he could finally hear. He could hear a familiar breathing pattern - Cole’s breathing pattern - and he could hear the surroundings that that breathing pattern belonged to. The slow, deliberate steps that echoed off the floor. Then the slight air currents that denoted the outdoors. They’d left the building. Then they got into a car and…

Jay heard sobbing. Cole’s sobbing. And it honestly broke his heart. He just wanted to climb through this earpiece, out into the world, and hug him. He didn’t know what was keeping him in here but by the masters he’d kick its ass.

Once Cole regained enough of his composure and the sobs died out, the car started and began to move, or so Jay could assume.

Jay remembered why he was here.  _ There is a microphone, and a speaker. He can hear me if I speak up. _

So Jay spoke up.

“Cole!”

“FUCK-”

There was a loud tire screech then.


	2. Chapter 2

Jay paused as Cole fumbled with the microphone, and then his voice came through, choked with tears. “Wh- I- JAY?”

“I-I’m okay!” Jay added frantically, and he heard Cole bite back a sob that tore at Jay’s heart.

“Wh-where are you right now?”

“Cole! Who’re you talking to?” Kai’s voice interrupted through the speakers before Jay could respond. Cole sputtered and tried to answer, clearly not sure if he could believe what he was hearing.

“I-I think it’s Jay!”

A chorus of “What?!” sounded from all four of the other voices. Jay could almost cry.

There was a weird pause, and then Cole warily asked, “Am I being haunted by you?”

“Pfft- hAHAHAHAHAH!” The statement caught Jay so off-guard that he burst into laughter and felt kind of horrible for it.  _ Cole’s upset you dingbat! Quit laughing! _ Cole was silent for a beat, and then chuckled lightly too, nervously.

“Sorry, I just- I’m not dead! I- okay this is gonna sound really weird but I think I’m  _ in _ the comms right now,” Jay remarked after he regained his composure.

“What???” Cole sounded just completely dumbfounded. “How- wha-”

“I don’t know! One second I’m being electrocuted and the next I’m looking through grainy camera footage and the next I’m in your ear!” Jay realized he was yelling and cleared his throat, speaking softer now. He didn’t wanna overwhelm his best friend, after all. “I- the point is I’m alright, okay? D-don’t worry.”

“... a-alright, I trust you, just- I’m kind of freaking out right now, Jay!” Cole’s voice sounded strained, like he was trying not to fall back and cry again. Jay winced at the tone, damn this stupid earpiece body he just wanted to hug him! “I-I almost crashed the buggy there…”

“I-I know, just… hold on a second,” Jay said, trying very hard to sound reassuring. “I might be able to get out of this thing, and then you can see me, and it’ll be fine!”  _ Will it be fine? I hope at least. _

“I- do you need me to do anything for that?” Cole asked briefly, but Jay didn’t answer, instead focused on trying to accomplish what he’d done before, reaching out to connections he was suddenly made aware of.  _ If he’s going to see you, you need a screen. _

_ The buggy interface has a screen. _

_ Well then, there you go. _

——

Jay woke up again, the first thing in his ears a startled “GAH” from Cole. He could  _ finally  _ both see and hear. His vision was like looking through a wide, rectangular window right at the seat where Cole was in the buggy.

Cole blinked in mute shock when he looked at Jay through that window. Now that he could actually see him, Jay noticed the tear stains on Cole’s cheeks and the bewildered spark of hope in his amber-brown eyes. Damn it made Jay’s heart hurt. He reached out and touched the window screen in front of him, again wanting nothing more than to reach through and touch Cole instead.

Cole finally spoke up. “... holy shit, Jay.” His expression morphed into one almost of fear.

“Yeah, I-I know this is kind of insane.” Jay rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, fiddling with his gi with his other hand. 

“Kind of??? You just turned into a bolt of lightning and jumped out of my earpiece! And into the buggy computer! What!” Cole threw up his hands. “I- your whole body is  _ gone _ , Walker! There was nothing left back there!” He ran a hand through his dark hair, his voice straining again like he was trying not to cry. “I-I really thought you were…”

Jay frowned, reached out, and put both his hands on the screen, and cursed internally that he couldn’t just  _ be  _ there for him. Be there for Cole. “Hey, hey. I’m not gone. I’m still here, and I’m not going anywhere, okay?” He said softly.

Cole looked at him for a long moment, then kinda put his hand on the screen where Jay’s was. “... okay,” he responded, just as soft. It was full of meaning between them, and Jay felt a little better about this. It still sucked a lot, don’t forget that, but it might be… alright.

_ *Bonk*  _ went something against the glass windshield that kept Cole in the cockpit. Jay glanced up and saw none other than Kai, pressed against the glass and making the equivalent of the >:V face at Jay in the monitor. Cole twisted around to look at him too, and snorted. “Can I help you, Smith?”

“Open the fuckin- THAT’S JAY AND HE’S IN YOUR COMPUTER OPEN THE WINDSHIELD!” Kai yelled at him indignantly. Cole complied, and Kai practically climbed into the cockpit with him, leaning into frame over Cole’s lap. “Jay what the hell!!!”

“I know!” Jay responded incredulously, throwing his hands up. “This is the weirdest shit that’s happened all day!”

More faces appeared in his vision as Nya, Zane, and Lloyd also leaned into the cockpit with Cole, their expressions a fun spectrum of relief, confusion, worry, and disbelief. Cole was a bit squished now, as this particular space was not designed for more than one.

“... most unusual.”  
“Jay! Oh thank the master-“  
“How- when did-  _ what??? _ ”

It was very crowded in the cockpit now, but Jay kinda didn’t care, because hot damn it was his friends!!! 

“Uh- hey guys!” Jay said sheepishly. “Before you ask, no! I do not know what’s going on!”

The five of them exchanged worried glances. Lloyd was first to speak up. “I- okay, we… let’s… let’s get back to the monastery first. I dunno what is even remotely happening right now, but I know we can’t figure out any answers out in the open like this.”

Jay paled at the idea of being driven around  _ in  _ the computer, but nodded. “Uh, yeah… might need to run some diagnostics on this. And me!” He chuckled slightly, trying to relieve the tension. He didn’t get much of a response.  _ That joke fell flatter than a pancake. FSM this is weird. _

The others left the cockpit, presumably returning to their own vehicles, and Cole shut the windshield. He glanced back at Jay, his relieved expression dipping back into worry. “I… you’re not hurt or anything, right?” He asked softly, touching the screen again with his whole hand. “Like, seriously. I… whatever happened in that room looked…” He trailed off, tough words unspoken, and bit his lip. 

Jay tried to put on a brave face. “I mean… it hurt, yeah, but… I’m not gone. That’s a… net positive, at least.”

The consequences were starting to weigh in on Jay, now.  _ My body is… gone?  _ What was going to happen next? Was there a plan to get his body  _ back?  _ Could that even be done? Jay’s face fell as he thought about it, and he looked away from the screen and around his… dark surroundings. He didn’t like the dark much. Not when he felt alone in it.

Cole must’ve noticed. He reached up and scratched his face nervously, then looked right at Jay, leaning over slightly to get a bit closer. His expression was still worried, but a little more reassuring. Jay guessed he was also putting on a brave face. “... hey, listen. We’re gonna figure this out, okay? I’m not leaving you like this, not one bit. You got that, sparky?” He put his fist up to the screen between them. A fist-bump between the mechanical world and the real one. Despite the situation’s direness still fresh in his mind, Jay found himself chuckling.  _ Can always count on Brookstone to lighten the mood, huh?  _ He met Cole’s eyes and returned the fist bump, smiling at the Earth Ninja, which caused him to return a beaming grin that honestly melted Jay’s worries like a summertime popsicle. That smile… usually melted him. 

_ What? He’s got a nice smile! _

He plopped backwards and found himself sitting down in the dark, still in front of the screen. It was like lounging on the floor in front of the TV. Except darker.

Hey, at least it was a pretty face on the screen. To try and distract himself from his strange new predicament, Jay kind of sat back and took in Cole’s… everything, as he watched the other drive. The dark hair that fell in his face despite his best efforts to keep it tucked back. The glints of gold in his amber-brown eyes. The slight five o’clock shadow that adorned his chin. He was… pretty.

Without warning, Jay turned the radio on. By accident. How he knew that  _ he  _ did that, he didn’t quite get. But what he did know is that  _ Lovefool  _ by _ The Cardigans  _ started blaring through the speakers, because of Jay. And Cole had put the effort into getting nice speakers for this thing. So it was loud, clear, and startling.

“ _ Love me love me _

_ Say that you love me! _

_ Fool me fool me _

_ Go on and fool me… _ ”   
Cole did a double-take. He hadn’t turned on the radio. “... uh.” Jay leapt to his feet in frantic embarrassment, and Cole tilted his head at him, keeping his eyes on the road. “Wait, are you doing that?”

“No! Yes? Uh.” He felt his face growing hot, which wasn’t fun, especially considering that technically right now Jay didn’t  _ have  _ a face that could grow hot. This wasn’t his actual goddamn body. Why was he blushing in what essentially amounted to an illusion! That shouldn’t be allowed!

Cole snorted at Jay’s little freakout, giving him a small ‘relax’ gesture. “Dude, it’s alright. I just… didn’t know you could do that. Guessing it’s a part of this whole… thing. Not upset or nothin.” 

Jay fidgeted with his hands, still kind of bashful. “Right… yeah. Here, lemme see if I can stop it.” He focused hard for a second, thinking that it might work. It didn’t, he just looked stupid. Cole snorted again. “I’m tryin, man!” Jay grumbled, folding his arms and giving an indignant look to the Earth Ninja, which just caused him to snicker more. If his laugh wasn’t so cute Jay would be upset about it.

_ Cute? Wait. _

“Pfft- sorry, sorry. I think I’m just… relieved,” Cole admitted quietly, focus turning back to the road. “I… guess I got really worried back there, thinking you were gone.” The radio petered out at that statement, and Jay unfolded his arms, looking back up at Cole.

“... hey. I’m not gone. And I’m not going, either,” Jay reminded him quietly, again. Cole sighed and glanced down at him again, meeting his gaze. Jay gave him a little silent nod. The slightest smile perked on Cole's lips. 

It was weird, but… at least they had each other.


End file.
